The post Low-A, High Ceiling: The Emerging Stars of the White Sox Kannapolis Affiliate appeared first on Sox On 35th.
In a season where a rebuild is in full effect, and wins are welcome but not expected, all eyes are on the development of the young players at the MLB level and in the minors. For the Chicago White Sox, certain expectations were present coming into this season for the upper minor league teams like the Triple-A Charlotte Knights and the Double-A Birmingham Barons. With 5 of the 6 top 100 prospects beginning the 2025 season at those levels, there were naturally going to be the teams that would garner the most interest, and fans would hope to see the most positive developments.
While there certainly have been positive developments on both of those rosters, such as Chase Meidroth and Edgar Quero playing their way into MLB promotions and the starting rotation of the Birmingham Barons being dominant, some of the most impactful progression is coming from the Low-A Kannapolis Cannon Ballers.
Currently sitting at 18-15, the Low-A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox has had its fair share of success through the first month of the 2025 season. While wins are important, what might be more important for the Sox is the upward trajectory that several players on the roster are shifting themselves into. While the players on the roster may not be as well known as Kyle Teel and Noah Schultz, these players possess big-time upside and are making their necessary adjustments to tap into their talent on the baseball field.
The most notable prospect on the Kannapolis opening day roster was Braden Montgomery, one of the main pieces acquired by Chris Getz in the trade that sent Garrett Crochet to the Boston Red Sox. While he was unanimously considered a top 100 prospect, an ankle injury prevented him from logging any minor league plate appearances in 2024, so any opinions about him as a prospect were purely projection from his standout college career. It turns out that even those who were high on him may have undersold him, as he only lasted 18 games in Kannapolis before earning a promotion to Winston-Salem, where he continues to be dominant. On the season, he is currently slashing .333/.415/.583 and has belted 6 home runs and stolen 7 bases through 29 games between those two levels. The coaching staff in Kannapolis clearly was able to get him ready for his professional debut season, and he is currently on track to soar through the minors with an MLB debut in his sights within the next year.
Braden Montgomery … 417 feet?!?
The @whitesox No. 5 prospect (MLB No. 51) unloads on a pitch for his third home run for the Single-A @Kcannonballers. pic.twitter.com/1PN5GsDXZS
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) April 20, 2025
Aside from Montgomery, several other hitters have impressed and should see themselves jump up in prospect rankings mid-season. Two of the most impactful position players this season have been 2024 2nd round pick Caleb Bonemer and 2023 international signee Javier Mogollon.
Bonemer, a 19-year-old shortstop, has played his way into top 100 consideration, with Baseball America already including him in their May update. Ranked by MLB Pipeline as the 71st-ranked prospect in the 2024 MLB draft, Bonemer was lauded by scouts for having some of the best bat speed in the draft class, providing plenty of raw power. It was his hit tool and his defensive uncertainty that led to him falling out of the first round, but the Sox were willing to gamble on his risky profile with an over-slot $3 million signing bonus. That gamble seems to be paying off big time, as Bonemer has far exceeded expectations this season, hitting to an .842 OPS and 140 wRC+. But when you dive into the underlying metrics, his season has been even more impressive. His approach at the plate has been outstanding, with a strikeout rate under 20% and a walk rate just under 15%. That combined with his knack for finding the barrel of the bat at nearly a 20% rate, and he’s showcasing attributes at the plate that will lead to big-time results as he progresses through the minors.
Mogollon, also 19, is a middle infielder who fell under the radar in the 2023 international signing period. He was acquired for just a $75,000 signing bonus, and was identified by Ben Badler as a dark horse prospect to keep an eye on from that class before he debuted in the Dominican Summer League. He ended up dominating that level and progressed to the Arizona Complex League in 2024, where he put up impressive numbers but also provoked concerns over his hit tool with just a .259 batting average and an unsightly 38.3% strikeout rate. The Sox decided that the rest of his game was worthy of another promotion, as he began 2025 with Kannapolis. While splitting time between second base and shortstop, his game at the plate has reached a new gear despite facing more advanced pitching. His batting average has jumped to .286 so far, and he has cut his strikeout rate down by over 12%. All while keeping the rest of his game intact, proving to be an on-base machine with an 18.8% walk rate, hitting for power with a .527 slugging percentage, and swiping 11 bases through 27 games at the Low-A level. With his refined hit tool allowing him to maximize the high-end talent he has showcased, he is putting himself firmly in the White Sox’s long-term plans.
One prospect who hasn’t quite lived up to expectations is slugging outfielder George Wolkow. After reclassifying from 2024 draft eligible to the 2023 draft pool, the Sox selected him in the 7th round and signed him away from his South Carolina commitment with an over-slot $1 million signing bonus. After impressing through his first full professional season at both the Arizona Complex League and in Kannapolis, this season hasn’t been as dominant. His hit tool has always been a concern, and beginning this season with a .186 batting average isn’t exactly quieting those concerns. A deeper dive shows that Wolkow is making progress in some holes in his game, however. The most concerning stat from his 2024 season was a strikeout rate that topped 40% at both levels he played in. He has cut that down significantly this season, currently sitting at a 28.6% rate. He has also hit an underwhelming .250 BABIP, which, with his power and the exit velocity numbers he has shown, should improve over time. It is also worth noting that he is still producing quality at-bats, working deep into counts, and drawing walks at over a 10% rate. He has also been able to impact the game both on the field and on the basepaths with 11 stolen bases. He is making the necessary adjustments at the plate, and it is only a matter of time before that turns into the production we were expecting of him.
While there have been plenty of positives on the offensive side, there’s good things happening on the mound in Kannapolis as well. The biggest development coming from LHP Christian Oppor, who has dominated this season and reportedly could be promoted to High-A Winston-Salem as soon as this week.
While he was left off most pre-season White Sox top 30 prospect lists, he won’t be forgotten about when mid-season rankings come out. This season, he has been nothing short of dominant in the Carolina League, pitching to a 2.42 ERA with 34 strikeouts in 22.1 innings. The White Sox originally had an agreement to draft him out of high school in the 11th round of the 2022 draft, however, the Athletics opted to draft him instead, leaving him unsigned and allowing him to re-enter the draft in 2023. The Sox doubled down in 2023, securing his selection in the 5th round, and it is becoming more and more clear why the Sox were so high on him. He has made adjustments with the pitching staff down in Kannapolis and has refined his command while generating more swing and misses with his premium stuff.
Have a day Christian Oppor
The former 5th round pick was dealing today, striking out 10 through 4.2 shutout innings for the @Kcannonballers today!pic.twitter.com/dIoZzCJsiN
— Pipeline to 35th (@PipelineTo35th) April 10, 2025
Along with Oppor, one more pitcher who is making some impressive strides on the Kannapolis roster is former top international signing Luis Reyes. Reyes, 19, was ranked 41st in MLB Pipeline’s top international prospects and was inked to a $700,000 signing bonus, tied for the largest in the Sox’s 2023 class. Command issues have plagued him and have prevented him from reaching his potential so far, but he appears to be cleaning those issues up and changing his trajectory in his Low-A debut season. While the 7.17 ERA will lead to legitimate concerns, his 4.06 FIP and 3.30 xFIP tell a better story of the improvements he has made on the mound in Kannapolis. His BB/9 rate this year has fallen below 4 for the first time in his minor league career, and he is missing as many bats as ever with an 11.4 K/9 rate. He is also showcasing a better ability to pitch deeper into games this season, getting through 5 innings on several occasions, a feat he has not been able to do prior to this season. He has big-time stuff that could allow him to develop into a front-line starter, with a plus fastball and above-average breaking pitches. If he continues to hone in his command and keeps developing his arsenal, he could be a legitimate pitching prospect in the near future, and someone who could develop into a mid-rotation starting pitcher down the road.
With all of the positive development we are seeing from this Kannapolis roster, it is fair to praise manager Chad Pinder and his coaching staff for working with these young players and helping them tap into their incredible talent. While most of these players are still several years away from competing for spots on the MLB roster, it is too soon to really know how legitimate these prospects are. However, the adjustments they are making now will allow them to not only succeed at their current level, but also carry that success over as they progress through the White Sox minor league system.
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Featured Photo: milb.com
The post Low-A, High Ceiling: The Emerging Stars of the White Sox Kannapolis Affiliate appeared first on Sox On 35th.